Dec 31, 2016, 11:30 am
Last edit by: tcook052
This new annual thread has been carved out of the previous thread in an effort to reduce the number of megathreads on the AC forum. For those interested previous versions are the original 2004 - 2014 thread , 2015 edition , and 2016 edition.
The original thread started by accident but quickly became a popular place to come and discuss off topic things such as hockey, new movies, or almost anything that wouldn't fit into existing AC forum threads. More Air Canada or Aeroplan topics such as flight feedback, in-flight services issues or mileage earning/redemption are all topics that should go into existing AC forum threads so others can benefit from this information. Topics about hotels or airlines and/or their loyalty programs or should be posted elsewhere on FT as should topics better suited to other forums such as Travel Products for questions about luggage or Travel Photography for discussion about cameras.
While the conversation is more relaxed as it would be in a lounge that doesn't mean however that the FT rules don't apply her as they definitely do so please refrain from controversial topics such as politics or religion, avoid profanities and treat other lounge patrons with the same respect you expect.
Sean Peever
FT Poster
The original thread started by accident but quickly became a popular place to come and discuss off topic things such as hockey, new movies, or almost anything that wouldn't fit into existing AC forum threads. More Air Canada or Aeroplan topics such as flight feedback, in-flight services issues or mileage earning/redemption are all topics that should go into existing AC forum threads so others can benefit from this information. Topics about hotels or airlines and/or their loyalty programs or should be posted elsewhere on FT as should topics better suited to other forums such as Travel Products for questions about luggage or Travel Photography for discussion about cameras.
While the conversation is more relaxed as it would be in a lounge that doesn't mean however that the FT rules don't apply her as they definitely do so please refrain from controversial topics such as politics or religion, avoid profanities and treat other lounge patrons with the same respect you expect.
Sean Peever
FT Poster
The Forum Lounge Thread (2017)
Jan 1, 2017, 5:15 am
#31
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Canada
Programs: AC E50k, A3*G, UA*S, MR Titanium, HHonors Gold, Carlson Gold, NEXUS
Posts: 3,669
speaking of poor decisions: I'm at the train station waiting for my train, which departs in an hour. The train station is not heated (it's -2 in Paris), and the roof is open. Why.
Jan 1, 2017, 8:30 am
#32
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: YYZ
Programs: Only J via Peasant Points, 777HDPeasant or The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance and Narcissism.
Posts: 5,949
it's also trivial to get around the GDL system. For example, get a GDL license in AB, transfer it to a US license while studying there, do no driving but maintain a valid license for two years and boom. You can transfer it back to a non restricted ab license when you return home. Or you can study in NS which automatically removes restrictions rather than making you take a test.
Speaking of which: why is the licensing test so darn expensive?
Speaking of which: why is the licensing test so darn expensive?
Literal highway robbery.
Indeed, its probably time to truly expand my horizon.^
Jan 2, 2017, 2:11 am
#33
Moderator, Air Canada; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: YYC
Programs: AC SE MM, FB Plat, WS Plat, BA Silver, DL GM, Marriott Plat, Hilton Gold, Accor Silver
Posts: 16,736
Once you have a licence you can drive until you're senile without ever being tested again and it's pretty evident that many people on the roads DGAF about the majority of traffic laws (if they even know about them).
And the driving test requires people to drive in ways that they never would in real life (e.g. focusing super hard on maintaining a speed band of 95-100 on the 401 rather than just following traffic and being aware of your surroundings).
And the driving test requires people to drive in ways that they never would in real life (e.g. focusing super hard on maintaining a speed band of 95-100 on the 401 rather than just following traffic and being aware of your surroundings).
I think that the vast majority of people on the roads in Canada couldn't even come close to passing a driver's test. Sure, the driver's test can be nit-picky on a number of items, but maybe then people would actually learn about things like how traffic circles work, stopping at stop signs, checking blind spots, not texting and driving, etc.
I've been hit by someone who was texting, twice sideswiped by someone not paying attention when changing lanes and rear-ended by a moron who just wasn't paying attention. Not to mention numerous near-misses near my home, where people frequently run stop signs and don't properly navigate traffic circles. Not to mention the aggravation of idiots doing 90 hogging the left lane on the highway when the speed limit is 110.
Yes, it's trivial to get in to a US educational institution, obtain all the necessary paperwork, then live there for a minimum of two years while studying and paying exorbitant US tuition rates, all for the sake of avoiding a test and a few bucks in fees.
Jan 2, 2017, 2:21 am
#34
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Canada
Programs: AC E50k, A3*G, UA*S, MR Titanium, HHonors Gold, Carlson Gold, NEXUS
Posts: 3,669
Btw -- on my sleepless YYZ-CDG I recalled the article in the G&M where they interviewed you saying you decided never to fly Y long haul again after your own sleepless TATL. I'm definitely getting there. And I'm definitely jetlagged, which is bad because I have 4 finals over the next 4 days...
Last edited by pewpew; Jan 2, 2017 at 2:28 am
Jan 2, 2017, 2:04 pm
#35
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: YVR
Programs: AC*SE-MM, BA Bronze, Marriott Titanium & lifetime Plat
Posts: 1,820
Jan 2, 2017, 2:49 pm
#36
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: SFO
Programs: AC SE MM, BA Gold, SQ Silver, Bonvoy Tit LTG, Hyatt Glob, HH Diamond
Posts: 44,296
We had to de-ice, and we had to wait for 30 minutes before we could taxi to the deicing area.
Take-off was delayed by about an hour, for a two hour connection at LHR.
We ended up making it with no issue though. I know YYZ well enough to know that an international to US connection can be done in 15 minutes. I don't know LHR well enough to make the same assumptions. But we landed in A, so it was a short walk to security, then maybe 10 minutes to get to the MLL.
Jan 2, 2017, 3:14 pm
#37
Join Date: Apr 2016
Posts: 108
Anyone else heading to vegas this week for CES?
Jan 3, 2017, 10:00 am
#38
Join Date: Sep 2014
Programs: AC SEMM
Posts: 1,379
From the New Yorker
Is this guy on FT ?
Is this guy on FT ?
Jan 3, 2017, 11:09 am
#39
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: USA
Programs: AC SE100K, F9 100k, NK Gold, UA *S, Hyatt Glob, Bonvoy Titanium
Posts: 5,187
Jan 3, 2017, 11:23 am
#40
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: SFO
Programs: AC SE MM, BA Gold, SQ Silver, Bonvoy Tit LTG, Hyatt Glob, HH Diamond
Posts: 44,296
Jan 3, 2017, 1:43 pm
#42
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: YVR
Programs: Ice Cream Club, AC SE MM, Bonvoy Life Plat
Posts: 2,803
I'm itching to do an overnighter in LAS now... although I DO need to be back in SFO the next morning, rather than fall asleep at the LAS gate.
Jan 3, 2017, 6:49 pm
#43
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: YYZ
Programs: Only J via Peasant Points, 777HDPeasant or The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance and Narcissism.
Posts: 5,949
Same Kara... Same....
Jan 4, 2017, 5:29 am
#44
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Canada
Programs: AC E50k, A3*G, UA*S, MR Titanium, HHonors Gold, Carlson Gold, NEXUS
Posts: 3,669
A bunch of my classmates ganged up on me and said that Ireland is part of the Schengen area (I told them a few weeks ago that it isn't, and they returned fire today), and I'm still trying to figure out how several people come to that conclusion...
Jan 4, 2017, 8:43 am
#45
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: YVR
Programs: AC*SE-MM, BA Bronze, Marriott Titanium & lifetime Plat
Posts: 1,820
Definitely not. The reason being that Ireland and the UK have a free travel area since Irish independence that actually has lower requirements than Schengen (specifically: no requirements to cross the borders). In order to join Schengen, they would have had to increase the restrictions on the border (by technically requiring identification to cross the border). That was a stumbling block, which was added to by the UK deciding that they didn't want to be in Schengen anyway ("damn furriners!"). Once the UK was out, Ireland would have had to have implemented a full border in order to join Schengen, so that was a no-go.
